Shamus, Anthony, and Edgar Award–winning author, Rick Riordan is the master of Texas suspense. After his daughter dies from a heroin overdose, Chadwick vows to save other children from the same mistake. But when young Mallory, a friend of the family, heads down the same destructive road, Chadwick is forced to face the past and deal with ugly truths.

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Quotes & Awards

“His voice is fresh yet sure, with insights so trenchant they nearly provoke tears. And Riordan’s characters, even the minor ones, are achingly believable. And the action proceeds realistically from the strengths and flaws of the characters, with some sucker punches from fate thrown in.”

Booklist (starred review)

Listener Opinions

by Arubadawn | 2/17/2014

" I like Rick Riordan's youth books better but this was still good "

by Joleen | 2/11/2014

" Rick Riordon wrote adult books before his Percy Jackson set. I love the Percy Jackson's (written for kids) really well. I thought that he adult books would be great too and maybe some are but this one was full of the "f" word over and over and I just couldn't take it anymore. I only got about 50 pages in and quit. I hope his other adult ones are better. "

by Gretchen Lindsey | 2/4/2014

" Different than his current style ... but, if you like Rick Riordan, it's worth the read! "

" A good story but I found his writing a little difficult to read at times. This was the first Rick Riordan book I have read. His writing style in this book often left me feeling like he had no rhythm and flow to the prose and the frequent choppiness made it hard to read at times. But I did enjoy the story, though I would have liked to see a little more about how Mallory faired in the aftermath of the events. Maybe he was leaving it open for a sequel with her in it? "

Emma | 1/18/2014

" Not what I expected from his writing but I was pleasantly surprised. It was definitely a thriller! "

Jeff Cadoff | 1/12/2014

" Nice mystery. Some telegraphed plot, and a number of nice twists. "

Melissa | 1/11/2014

" I read this book in less than 24 hours! Very absorbing, and with a great twist at the end that made me almost want to start right back at the beginning to read it again knowing what i knew by the end. Although this author also writes children's books, this is definitely an adult novel. "

Alan | 1/10/2014

" Dark and depressing, lots of twists and turns. I'm almost surprised I finished it. Well written, but.... "

Freya | 1/8/2014

" It is rare that I find a book that I can't "figure out" quickly. This one kept me guessing all the way through - great hints, ideas, possibilities..but nothing substantive until the end. Fun! "

Vicky | 1/3/2014

" Absolutely amazing thriller/mystery. I had no idea who the bad guy was until all was revealed. I highly recommend this book! "

Beth | 1/1/2014

" Very good, exciting. Kept me surprised right up until the very end. "

Beckie | 12/24/2013

" I was extremely impressed with the Percy Jackson Series, so I wanted to read an adult-oriented novel by Rick Riordan. I was very disappointed. I think he found his place in the writing world with children's books. "

Eileen | 12/18/2013

" A solid mystery with a twist I didn't see coming at the end. A good read but not a great page turner. "

Tina | 12/11/2013

" I loved this book. I could not guess who the culprit was until the end. I loved the characters and the way that Riordan brought then forward, yet kept them hidden at the same time. It's a great read "

Orangesue | 11/27/2013

" Depressing subject. Choppy writing. I felt like there were a number of holes in the story and it was not a smooth read. "

Dan Hays | 8/11/2013

" Very odd plot - unlike his other works. Kind of hard to follow, and vaguely unsatisfying. "

Melanie | 5/10/2013

" Definitely not YA. The book is not an easy read, but the writing can be compelling and immersive enough for me to finish it in a day. Some parts of it felt choppy. Plotting was twisty, intricate. "

Vicky | 4/19/2013

" I always enjoy Rich Riordan's books. The premise of the book is rather unlikely, but Riordan is such a great writer that you can ignore that and enjoy the ride. I highly recommend this book. "

Holly | 1/15/2013

" I loved this book - it kept me guessing until the end. "

Nicole | 11/10/2012

" Not a book for kids, like his more famous ones. But a good read with some twists. "

Joan 2 | 10/5/2012

" Very suspenseful, not at all like the Percy Jackson series in YA. The character development was great. "

Kim | 8/10/2012

" Complicated plot, some surprises--I will read more of his suspense. "

" The death (overdose or suicide, you decide) of an only child casts a pall over 2 families and a small private school over the following 10 years. I am not sure if the motivation of the protagonist Samuel is believable. I did want to keep reading once I was into it to see whodunit. "

Kay A. Kennedy Stapleton | 12/4/2011

" just ok. I figured out the 'twist' really early on...thought it was kind of contrived. "

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